Gauge mechanism for punch presses



Nov. 7, 1933. G. J. GREINER GAUGE MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES Filed Nov. '7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1933. G. .2. GREHNER 1,934,303

GAUGE MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSE'S Filed Nov. 7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A RQRNEY Nmn 7 1933, G, GREHNER 1,934,303

GAUGE MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES Filed Nov. '7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY [NW0 19330 G. .3. GREINER GAUGE MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES Filed Nov. '7', 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1933 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,934,303 GAUGE MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES Application November 7, 1931. Serial No. 573,661

3 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a punch press, and more particularly to a press wherein the sheet being operated upon is fed by hand.

An object of the invention is to provide a gauge mechanism for a punch press wherein the gauge finger is positively raised and yieldingly pressed into operative position for gauging the sheet by a relatively light spring which permits the gauge finger to be raised at any time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gauging mechanism of the above type wherein the rear face of the gauge finger is shaped so that after a cycle of punching operations across the sheet has been completed, the sheet may be moved by hand in a reverse direction, the gauge riding over the portions of the metal left between the openings for the p rpose of positioning the sheet for the next cycle of punching operations.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a placing finger associated with a gauging mechanism of the above type for the placing of the sheet for the initial punching operation when desired, so that the cut-away portions formed in one line may be staggered relative to the cut-away portions in an adjacent line.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a.

3D punch press with the improved gauging mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1 normal to its angle;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation with parts broken away of the gauging mechanism, with the gauge in raised position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of P18. 5;

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic view of the supporting bed of the press showing the gauge finger 5 and the sheet placing finger, and with the sheet positioned for the initial punching operation;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the sheet as initially positioned by the placing finger for the second cycle of punching operations;

54) Fig.9isasimilarviewshowingthesheetpositioned by the placing finger for the third cycle of punching operations;

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the sheet as initially positioned by the gauge finger for the fourth cycle of operations;

Fig. 11 is a detail in section showing the gauge finger operating in one of the openings, and positioning the sheet for the last punching operation in a cycle, and

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the sheet as moved in a reverse direction and the gauge finger as riding over the metal between the punched openings.

The invention is directed to a gauging mechanism for a hand-fed punch press. The gauging mechanism includes a finger which is yieldingly moved downwardly into position relative to the bed along which the sheet is moved by hand, so as to position the sheet for the punching operation. The gauge finger is positively raised to permit the sheet to be moved and placed for the next punching operation. This continues until a cycle of operations has been completed, and a series of openings formed in a line extending all the way across the sheet. The gauge finger is timed with the operation of the punching dies so that when the punching dies are separated, the gauge finger is raised to permit the sheet to be shifted and is lowered for the purpose of positioning the sheet. When the punch press stops with the punch raised, the gauge is lowered. The gauge finger is moved into operative gauging position by a relatively light spring and is shaped so that when the last punching operation is completed, and the dies are separated, the sheet may be moved in a reverse direction, and the gauge finger will ride over the material in the sheet between the punched openings, thus permitting the movement of the sheet through the machine for the positioning of the sheet for the next line of punching operations.

It is thought the invention will be better understood by reference to the illustrated embodiment thereof in the drawings. The punch press is of the usual construction, and includes aframe 1 on which is mounted a supporting bed 2 for the sheets to be punched. One of the punching dies is located in the bed and the other is carried by a reciprocating plunger indicated at 3 in the drawings, the die head being indicated at 4. The plunged 3 is reciprocated from a rotating shaft 5 mounted in the frame of the machine. .Located on the bed 2 is a guide for the sheet, made in two' sections 6 and 7. The inner ends of the guide are spaced a suflicient distance to allow the 105 article cut from the sheet to slide over the bed and out of the machine. There is a second guide for the sheet also formed in sections as indicated at 8 and 9. The sheet is placed against one of these guides and moved beneath the punching no head for the forming of a line of openings across the sheet and then it is placed against the other guide and moved over the bed for the punching of another line of openings. This punch press with the guides is of a well-known character, and further description thereof is not thought necessary.

The sheet is positioned for the punching operations by a gauge finger 10 and by an associated placing finger 11. The gauge finger 10 is carried by an arm 12 which is bent at right angles intermediate its ends as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The portion of the arm 12 adjacent the gauge finger extends in a direction parallel with the guides 7 and 9. This arm 12 is supported by a shaft 13 carrying a head 14. The head 14 is provided with a cut-away portion 15 forming a shoulder extending across the head which provides an angular seat to receive the arm 12. A clamping plate 16 is forced into contact with the outer face of the arm by a nut 17, and thus the arm is firmly clamped to the head 14. The shaft extends through a bushing 18 in a bracket 19 and is freely oscillatable in said bushing. A collar 20 is threaded on to the shaft and is secured by a set screw 21. A collar 22 is also threaded on to the shaft and is secured in a fixed position thereon by a set screw 23. By loosening these set screws, the shaft may be shifted endwise in the bracket arm 19. This is for the purpose of placing the gauge finger for the punching of different size openings in the sheet. When the sheet is adjusted, the arm 12 is removed from the head so as to permit the turning of the shaft.

Formed as an integral part of the collar 22 is an arm 24. A rod 25 is threaded into the bracket 19 and extends through a slot in the arm 24. A washer 26 is placed on the rod next to the arm, and a spring 27 bears on the washer. A nut 28 serves as an abutment for the spring. This spring pressing on the arm 24 normally turns the shaft in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, and moves the gauge finger downward into contact with the bed. Also formed integral with the collar 22 is an arm 29. A link 30 is pivoted at 31 to this arm, and at its upper end is provided with a slotted head 32 which engages over a crank pin 33 carried by a disk 34 on the main rotating shaft. The crank pin 33 is shiftable along the the arm 29, and a stop screw 3'7 threaded therethrough engages the bracket 19. Thisstop screw assists in the initial setting of the height to which the finger is to be raised. The bracket 19 is secured to the frame of the machine by suitable bolts 38, 38. v i

The placing finger 11 is carried by a lever 39 pivoted at 40 to a lug 41 on the under'face of the bed plate. The finger 11 passes up through an opening in the bed. A spring 42 coiled about a post 43 bears against the lever and normally forces the end of the lever carrying the finger 11 away from the bed plate, retracting'the finger beneath the surface of the bed. This post has a head thereon for limiting the movement of the lever. This provides a manually operated means for lifting the placing finger above the bed for operation in positioning the sheet, and when the lever is released, the'spring will move the finger to an inoperative position and hold the finger in this position.

The sheet to be punched is indicated at S in Figures? to 10. For the first line of openings, the sheet is placed against the guides 8 and is moved so that the advance edge thereof contacts with the gauge finger 10. The sheet is now-positioned for the first punching operation which is indicated in the full line vin Fig. '7. After the punching operation has been completed, and while the movable punch member is on its upward stroke, the gauge finger 10 is raised by the crank pin 33 engaging the upper end of the slot in the head 32 and pulling up on the link 30. As soon as the gauge finger is lifted free of the sheet, the operator slides the sheet along the guide 8. A partial feed movement is given to the sheet, or a slow feed movement, so as to permit the gauge finger to descend into the opening punched in the sheet and engage the edge of the opening for the positioning of the sheet for the next punching operation. This lifting and lowering of the gauge finger takes place while the upper member of the punching die is on its up-stroke. The punching operations continue through a cycle which forms a series of openings in a line all the way across the sheet. As shown, there are six openings punched in this line, which is indicated at aa in the drawings. The sheet is then returned for positioning for the next cycle of punching operations. In order to accomplish this, the machine is stopped and with the movable punch member in raised position. At this time, the gauge finger is down in contact with the bed. The gauge finger as shown in Figures 1' 11 and 12 is provided with a substantially vertical face 10 which serves as the gauging face for positioning the sheet. The rear face of the gauge finger 10 is inclined as indicated at 10*.

This inclining of the rear face forms a cam for l tor moves the sheet along the gauge members 8 l.

and 9 in a reverse direction, and the material between the openings will lift the finger as shown in Fig. 12, said finger riding over the metal. This enables the sheet to be returned by a movement in the reverse direction from the feeding of the 2.53..

sheet for the punching operation. It has been a common practice in connection with hand-op erated presses, after one cycle of punching operations, and the punching of a series of openings all the way across the sheet, to draw the 1.2.

sheet forward out of the machine, then move it across in front of the machine and replace it. This requires what might be referred to as four motions. A feeding motion, a forward retracting motion, a return motion, and then a rearward placing motion. By the shaping of the finger in the manner described and the providing of the light spring for holding it in operative position, the sheet can be returned by reversing the movement of the sheet which requires only '1 two motions in the handling of the sheet. The feeding motion in a forward direction, and then a reverse motion without withdrawing the sheet from the machine.

It will be noted that the line of openings aa 14.;

are well back from the edge 5 of the sheet. After the sheet has been returned, it is then placed against the guide 6 for the next cycle of punching operations. In order that the opening punched may be staggered relative to the open- 15 ings in the line a--a, the placing finger is now brought into action by manually depressing the lever carrying the same. This raises the finger above the bed and the end edge of the sheet is placed against the pin. The lever is then released. This placing finger is directly under the arm 12 and when the pin is moved up through the bed, it engages the arm and lifts the gauge finger so that the sheet may be slipped underneath the same against the placing finger. This placing finger gauges the sheet for the initial punching operation. The distance between the placing pin and the gauge finger is half the diameter of the opening cut from the sheet, and therefore, the openings punched in the sheet when the sheet is positioned by the placing finger will be staggered relative to the openings in the line a-a. After the first punching operation, then the gauging finger becomes operative for the positioning of the sheet for the remaining of the punching operations, and a series of openings will be formed along the line b-b. The sheet is then removed from the machine and reversed end for end for the punching of the remainder of the sheet. It is first placed against the guide 8 and the placing finger used for the initial positioning of the sheet, after which the gauge finger becomes operative and the line of openings 0-0 is formed. The sheet is then fed in a reverse direction through the machine and is placed against the guide 6. This time the finger 10 serves as the means for initially positioning the sheet, and a line of openings is punched along the line M. This completes the punching of the sheet. There are two features to which attention is particularly called; one is the use of the light spring for the holding of the gauging finger in operative position, and the lifting of the finger by the positively acting crank pin, and the other feature is the shaping of the gauge finger which permits the sheet to be moved in a reverse direction through the machine without removing it from the machine. These two features greatly add to the speed of the machine and the output of the machine, for the reason that after having completed one cycle of punching operations, the machine is stopped and the sheet can be returned without withdrawing it from the machine, except when it is necessary to reverse a sheet end for end.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is--.

1. A punch press including in combination, a bed on which the material is supported for die punching, a guide for directing the material along the bed for a line of punching operations, a gauge mechanism for positioning the sheet including a gauge finger, an arm carrying said gauge finger, a shaft on which said arm is mounted, a second arm connected to said shaft, a spring bearing against said second arm for moving said gauge finger toward the supporting bed, athird arm carried by said shaft, a link connected to said third arm, and a crank pin mounted on the main shaft and having a slotted head engaging said crank pin whereby said crank pin pulling on the link will lift the gauge finger.

2. A punch press including in combination, a bed on which the material is supported for die punching, a guide for directing the material along the bed for a line of punching operations, a gauge mechanism for positioning the sheet including a gauge finger, an arm carrying said gauge finger, a shaft on which said arm is mounted, a second arm connected to said shaft, a spring bearing against said second arm for moving said gauge finger toward the supporting bed, a third arm carried by said shaft, a link connected to said third arm, a crank pin mounted on the main shaft and having a slotted head engaging said crank pin whereby said crank pin pulling on the link will lift the gauge finger, and means for shifting the position of the shaft for varying the set position of the gauge finger.

3. A punch press including in combination a die punch, means for reciprocating said die punch, a bed on which the material is supported for die punching, a guide for directing the material along the bed for a line of punching operations, a gauge finger for positioning the sheet for each operation, means for yieldingly moving said finger into position for engaging the sheet, and means operating on the upstroke of the punch for positively and intermittently raising the finger to permit the sheet to be shifted.

GEORGE J. GREINER. 

